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World Photo

Timeless Taverns of NYC by Joe Colucci In this photo essay, TakeGreatPictures.com contributor Joe Colucci takes us on a tour of New York City's most historic bars & restaurants. Article rating: 8.40

I recently had the opportunity to complete a photo project of the old taverns in New York City.  I had become interested in taverns that have survived the test of time, many for well over a century, when my son opened a tavern in the Grammercy Park section of Manhattan.  After researching this topic, five establishments were chosen to be included in the project:  Pete’s Tavern, White Horse Tavern, Old Town Bar & Restaurant, Ear Inn and McSorley’s Old Ale House.  Photographing these wonderful old establishments was a great experience.  Most historical buildings are just that, “buildings”.  The taverns included in this project, on the other hand, are alive and thriving.

Pete’s Tavern
129 East 18th Street
At Irving Place

Pete’s Tavern first opened its doors in 1864.  It has remained opened from that date until today.  This achievement makes it the longest continuously operating bar and restaurant in New York City.  Pete’s remained opened even during the Prohibition years, disguised as a flower shop and serving politicians of that era.  The current owners of Pete’s Tavern are proud of its history and steadfastly maintain its traditions.  The bar still looks exactly as it did when its most celebrated regular, O’Henry, penned his classic, “Gift of the Magi,” here at his favorite booth by the front doors in1904!

White Horse Tavern
Hudson and 11th Street
New York City

The White Horse Tavern was established in 1880, making it the second oldest bar in New York City.  This 1880 structure is one of the few remaining wood frame buildings in Manhattan.  For decades, this establishment was a longshoreman’s hangout.  The White Horse attained legendary status in 1953 when Dylan Thomas, the Welsh poet, drank 18 whiskies and died on its doorstep.  The tavern has since drawn writers, poets and tourists, all wanting to have a pint with the ghosts of the past.  If you are looking to “feel” a part of history in some small way, have a pint at the White Horse.  As you sip your beer, you can almost feel the ghosts of past patrons sitting next to you at this wonderful old bar!

Old Town Bar & Restaurant
45 East 18th Street
New York City

Old Town Bar & Restaurant was established in 1892.  Virtually the entire premise is original.  The mahogany and marble bar is 55 feet long, the tin ceilings are 16 feet high and there is 258 square feet of bevel edge plate mirror.  Old Town was founded as a German bar and has assumed its current identity since 1933.  The high-backed booths were built with storage spaces underneath in case of a raid during the Prohibition years.  As you sit in the booth today, having a drink, it is easy to imagine what it would have been like to experience one of these prohibition raids!

Ear Inn
326 Spring Street
New York City

The Ear Inn started serving drinks in the 1870’s.  It became a rough-and-tumble watering hole for Spring Street’s longshoremen waiting for the ships to dock.  The bar used to sit right on the river until the riverbank was filled in.  Old bottles line the bar and ears of all kinds line the walls.  It is a much quieter place now and every Saturday it has a weekly reading series featuring poetry and fiction by established and emerging writers.  Even the neon sign out front is protected as a landmark.

As I entered the Ear Inn, I wondered if I would have stopped here if I were alive in 1870, knowing that a tough crowd of longshoremen would be bellied up to the bar.  I think not, but who knows?  Once inside you can close your eyes and imagine the laughter and grumblings of the hard working, hard drinking longshoremen who are now gone.  Ships no longer dock on the riverfront, however, the Ear Inn sits there as a monument to an era gone by.

McSorley’s Ale House
1 East 7th Street
New York City

Though McSorley’s claims to have opened in 1854, historians indicated it opened in 1862.  The one motto of McSorley’s is, “Be good, or be gone!”  This establishment is a “must see” for anyone who would like to step back into the past.  One can see both the old photographs of some of its most famous patrons and can also view the old wishbones behind the bar.  The wishbone tradition began when soldiers going off to fight in the Civil War, traditionally sat down to a turkey dinner and left the wishbone behind, to be retrieved upon their return.  Each remaining wishbone represents a soldier who did not return.  McSorley’s Ale House was strictly a male only establishment.  Women were not allowed inside until the 1970’s!  However, a ladies room was not installed until 1986!  To this day, you can only purchase either light or dark beer.  Two mugs are served with each order.  This is truly a place not to be missed when in New York City.

I visited McSorley’s for the first time with a group of close friends when the bar only was open to men only.  That all changed not long after that first visit.  Now, after some 40 years, some of my close friends have since passed away, but I have fond memories of our first visit to this establishment.  It seems that people come and go over the years, but old taverns remain.

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	NIce article. MOre articles are needed for the 'old' manhattan' that still remains before it is all gone. Posted by: ed tierney Jan 13, 2007 @ 8:27 AM EST
	Hi there, If only you had taken the bar stools off the bar it would have made a very good feature even better. Posted by: Bill Powers Apr 7, 2007 @ 5:6 PM EST
	Joe - Great meeting you on the train a few weeks back. Love the tavern series. The third shot is my favorite. I like the way the light coming through the front window is blown out creating a visual separation between the worlds inside and outside the bar. This also creates nice highlights on the objects in the bar. Nice work. Let's be sure to stay in touch. I'll shoot you some of my work as well...mlm Posted by: Michael Maliner Aug 19, 2008 @ 11:45 AM EST

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